Canberra WK129
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Canberra WK129, Cwm Eigiau
09 December 1957.
Canberra WK129 had undertaken a secret radar test which involved a flight from RAF Pershore in Worcestershire, north west over the Carneddau mountains in Snowdonia to Anglesey and back.
The bomber flew over the radar hut which was on the summit of Drum and reported back to base while in the vicinity of Puffin Island off the eastern tip of Anglesey. The bomber then turned and headed back to base, but just 10 miles or so into the return leg the Canberra crashed near the summit of Carnedd Llewelyn.
Debris in the stream
Bits of wing
(Source; No Landing Place Vol 2, Edward Doylerush, 1999)
Ian – It never ceases to amaze me that such large chunks from these tragedies still exist some 50-60 years on! Great record shots and full marks to you and your intrepid colleagues for the physical efforts in bringing images and information from these far flung sites onto our desktops and ‘armchairs’! 🙂
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/29288836@N00]
Thanks Rob. I was just looking at this shot of a photo recon Canberra on your stream!
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/maycontaintracesofnuts] Cheers Ian – without looking I think WK129 was probably a B.2 with the bubble canopy as opposed to this PR.9 which was unique with the offset blister type. I’ll dig a bit and come back 🙂
Ditto crusader752 comments.Here Here.
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/maycontaintracesofnuts] Heres a shot I took of WK128 Ian – which was typical of the test fleet the old RRE at Pershore would have used albeit in a more recent colour scheme and Target Tug colours[http://www.flickr.com/photos/29288836@N00/5500667280]
Thanks Ian, Paul, another interesting account of a sad event in aviation history. WK129 was a B2 according to info at this site: http://www.ukserials.com/results.php?serial=WK
what a way to go. sudden and darn scary. incredible accident site, covering so much distance, and in such a remote [and crazy beautiful] place. very cool info and series Ian.
i like how you have starred a very lithe and limber Paul as the top shot 🙂
Once again, bloody amazing stuff.
And it looks a beautiful place too!
Terrific account Ian , and those shots are superb , its hard to go too far wrong amid such splendid scenery . Certainly one of the ‘best’ crash sites we have visited ( if a crash site can be best that is) ! 🙂
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/angwickham]
Yes Thanks Ian , for once the pies are not as evident 🙂
Now that looks a bit familiar 😉 Nice shot Ian!
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/29288836@N00] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/nondesigner] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill_fawcett] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/angwickham] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/longsidepies] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/pasujoba44] [http://www.flickr.com/photos/gastephen]
Thanks very much guys. Thanks for the link Bill, and Rob for the additional photo of WK128. It is always something to see a sister aircraft to the one which crashed – just one digit out. Graham your shots were at the back of my mind as I took some of these!
Great work again fellas, Canberras were one of my favourite jets, apparently they were a bastard to control if one engine packed up.
Did they fly into the hill or was there a problem with the plane?
Nice weather for wreck hunting : )
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/highy]
Cheers Al
Icing of the engines was suggested I think. The crew were to fly at 15,000 ft, so there must’ve been a reason for descending that low.
Yeah it was a grand day to be out.
This is really nice work, Ian. And… Canberra WK129 has some real artfulness to the framing, Well done all around.
It’s the close up of the wheel that really gets me, resting in peace, silently betraying its grim reason for being there
Another piece of history you captured here. Very good shot and write-up Ian. 😎
Crusader said it all for me Ian ! Full marks for your efforts to bring this information to us!!!:-)
Such a gorgeous looking place.
Fine work as ever Ian.
Interesting back story and superb scenery.
Beautiful! Ian D B.![]()
Interesting hike, and great comments on the story wf what happened.